La Tour de Londres

I came across this movie by chance one night late on the tv. I checked the review in the tv guide and thought it would be an adaptation of one of my favourite plays by Shakespeare: Richard III. However, when I noticed that Roger Corman directed and the guide labelled this movie a horror movie I had mixed feelings. Corman turned the story of Richard Gloucester who "gets rid" of those who stand between him and the throne of England. Corman does that in accordance with the way the people are put away with in the Shakespearean play, but (of course) with greater detail. Plus, Corman focuses more on theoccult aspects - Richard haunted by the spirits of those he killed. However, during the whole movie it does not quite become clear whether those ghosts are real or just hallucinations of Richard's poor soul. Vincent Price - once again - gives a superb villain, very reminiscent of Boris Karloff (who I think played Richard, as well). A perfect movie for dark, chilly nights, with fog and storm outside, and a blanket to crouch underneath.

The team of Roger Corman and Vincent Price is undoubtedly most famous for the adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe's works, but it would be unwise to ignore this interpretation of William Shakespeare's play 'Richard III' as it's one of the duo's finest hours! This same story was brought to the screen 23 years earlier with the 1939 film of the same name (also featuring Vincent Price), but Corman's version, although obviously made on a limited budget is still a great version of the tale. The plot features prominent themes of envy, greed and insanity, and the story of one of England's most famous rulers is interesting for its own merits, and Corman's portrayal of it makes it interesting for fans of classic horror also. The plot begins with the death of the current king of England, Richard's brother. The throne is intended to go to the brother's son, but King Richard has other ideas as he begins to murder all those that stand in his path to the most coveted seat in the country. However, what he doesn't count on is his conscience getting in the way; and before long, he is being haunted by the ghosts of his victims.

Every film in the Corman's Poe Anthology is filmed in colour, but here Corman shoots on black and white film, and it does the story no end of favours as the atmosphere always feel thick and foreboding, and gorgeous shots of smoke filled locations help to increase the tension. The fact that the film stars the great Vincent Price is most definitely its strongest element. Price is best at playing villains and people suffering from mental torment, and here he gets to do both in the meaty role of King Richard III. Price's acting style certainly suits Shakespearian roles as he's never afraid to go over the top, and I'm sure Corman was always happy to capitalise on this fact as Price is allowed to let rip completely during many instances of the film. Price also manages to look sinister while he's being hammy, and just small things such as the little hat that Price wears give him an understated villainy that suits the role like a glove. The supernatural elements of the film are well utilised, and Corman is happy to capitalise on the horror aspects of the play at all times. The ending is a little abrupt, but overall, this film is a definite 'hit' and one that shouldn't be missed by Price, Corman and even Shakespeare fans!

23 years before when Universal Pictures made Tower Of London, Vincent Price was featured as the luckless Duke Of Clarence who was as legend has it drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine. In 1962 Price took center stage in this Roger Corman adaption of the Richard III story. No flowery Shakespearean dialog here, this is a prose adaption heavily influenced by Edgar Allan Poe.

Price plays Richard III as Shakespeare has sent him to us through history as an evil monster and child killer. The film follows along the lines of the adaption done by Universal in 1939 with Basil Rathbone as Richard.

Unlike the Rathbone version, the character of Richard's wife Anne Neville. Left out was Richard's own child and when they both died and he had no direct successor his fate was sealed. Anne Neville is played by Joan Camden and while he never murdered her, she too haunts him after she's gone.

Richard leaves quite a bloody trail on his way to power, but he's haunted by his victims, images of the beating tell tale heart like apparitions. They haunt him, but they sure don't deter him.

Price does a good job with Richard and his performance certainly rates behind Laurence Olivier in the Shakespearean adaption and also that of Rathbone. I'm surprised he never opted for the Shakespeare play as a project.

Roger Corman's "Tower of London" of 1962 is a great piece of Historical Horror and a fantastic depiction of madness, that has enriched the world of cinema with yet another magnificent performance by the incomparable Vincent Price. Vincent Price was in two films named "Tower of London" that dealt with the reign and villainy of Richard III, the other being Rowland V. Lee's great Historical Drama of 1939 in which, as a young actor, he played the supporting role of the Duke of Clarence alongside fellow icons Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff. Personally, I first saw this 1962 film by Corman several years before first watching the 1939 film. Though both films are great, I must say that I still prefer this one. Unlike the 1939 film, this film is an actual Horror film, which focuses strongly on the King's madness and Horror elements. The reasons why I prefer this film (which is officially a remake, but very different to the 1939 version), are the Horror elements and the unspeakably intense and creepy atmosphere, but mainly the incredible on-screen persona of Vincent Price, whom I would call my favorite actor of all-time. Basil Rathbone was great in the role of the villainous king, but Price is sublime. The character is way more insane in this film. The cold-blooded, calculating villain King Richard of the 1939 film has become an equally villainous and murderous, but incalculable madman, haunted by the victims of his bloody path to kingship.

Director Corman and star Price are always a great combination, as proved by their other collaborations, the brilliant Edgar Allan Poe adaptations which mark the peak of both men's careers. Films such as "Pit and the Pendulum" (1961, also starring the wonderful Barbara Steele, my favorite actress of all-time), "The Haunted Palace" (1963, which is actually the adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft Story) of "The Masque of the Red Death" (1964) range among the greatest Horror films ever made. This is yet another magnificent collaboration of Price and Corman. Price gives a magnificent portrayal of madness and villainy in what is one of his most diabolical roles. The only film in which he plays an even more despicable character is Michael Reeves' 1968 masterpiece "Witchfinder General", and I would rate the role of Prince Prospero in Corman's own "Masque of the Red Death" on quite the same level of evilness as his role here. "Tower of London" has many macabre moments including several downright nasty torture scenes. As in all his Vincent Price films, Corman creates a genuinely creepy atmosphere, this being the only black-and-white film the two did together. Michael Pate plays the role of Richard's loyal and unscrupulous helper on his way to power, basically the role that the great Boris Karloff (another favorite actor of mine) played in the 1939 film. While Karloff played a cruel, but relatively simple-minded executioner loyal to his master Richard, the character 'Sir Ratcliffe' played by Pate is a devilishly cunning snake who isn't far behind Richard in devilish ingenuity. The settings are magnificent, and very similar to those in the 1939 film (though the photography is gloomier) it sometimes looks as if the same settings were used. Parts of the battle sequences from the 1939 film were edited into this one. Overall, this is an amazing film with another brilliant leading performance from the immortal Vincent Price. A must-see for all Horror fans!

In between basing no less than seven movies on the wondrously macabre writings of author Edgar Allan Poe, the mega-versatile cinema wizard Roger Corman also found the the time to adapt a famous William Shakespeare play and turn it into an effectively creepy and atmospheric 60's chiller. The greatest actor who ever walked the earth – Vincent Price, who else? – plays another malicious but emotionally tormented protagonist in the English kingdom of the late 15th century. He is Richard Plantagenet, unlikely to ever inherit the throne in a righteous way, but willing to kill blood relatives in order to become King of all England. But immediately after murdering his own brother and other innocent people that stand in his way, the restless spirits of his victims come back to haunt him in visions. "Tower of London" is a fascinating history lesson, perhaps not very accurate, but at least vastly entertaining and providing more than enough genuine frights and atmosphere. Continuously descending further into madness, sir Richard submits his victims to uncanny medieval torture devices, like a stretching-rack and a rat cage that gets placed on a poor guy's head. The photography is in stylish black & white, the costumes are downright enchanting and the use of medieval vocabulary sounded like pure music to my ears. Vincent Price is amazing, as always, portraying the historical madman that also suffered from a hereditary handicap. The performances of the supportive cast are sadly a bit hammy. For some reason and unlike most other masterpieces starring Price, this baby is rather difficult to find but definitely worth searching for. A must for fans of classic horror.